Broadway marquee unveiled for 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'

Feb. 28 (UPI) -- New York's Lyric Theatre marquee has been transformed for next month's Broadway premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

The building on West 43rd Street in Manhattan now features a 150-foot, 50,000-pound wing spanning from the marquee up the side of the building, with a child sitting in a nest on the top of the theater, a news release noted.

"It is a thrill to have the Lyric as a canvas, both inside and out, for our production," the stage play's set designer Christine Jones and international scenic supervisor Brett J. Banakis said in a joint statement Wednesday. "The producers tasked us with taking advantage of this expanse of space with a visual gesture that relates to the show and connects the old (1903) facade with the rest of the newer (1996) facade.

"We drew inspiration from the wing artwork from the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child poster art, and tried to translate that imagery into a large, metal installation on the side of the building, to serve as a beacon, a gathering spot, and a piece of public sculpture, here in the heart of Times Square."

Based on an original new story by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, the two-part play is to begin performances on Broadway March 16, with an official opening planned for April 22. The Olivier-winning production had its world premiere in July 2016 at the Palace Theatre in London where it continues to play to sold-out houses. The show follows the adventures of the titular wizard, who is now a married father.